It is my firm belief that all children, regardless of race, ability, gender or socio-economic status deserve the same opportunities to succeed as other students. This is achieved for students with disabilities by providing rigorous and coherent instruction, development of specially designed instruction and IEPs that are well aligned to the students' hopes and goals for their own future.

Cherina began teaching in 2009 as a New York City Teaching Fellow at a small public school in Brooklyn, NY. She was the founding special education teacher and taught students with special needs towards two regents exams.

I firmly believe that every student deserves a high-quality education tailored to their unique needs and aspirations. My mission is to empower school communities to create systems and structures where students are deeply understood, embedding appropriate supports, and empowering students with the skills to advocate for themselves.

As Assistant Principal of Special Education at Flushing High School, I led initiatives that increased the graduation rate for students with disabilities from 40.7% in 2018 to 89% in 2023. By introducing Inclusive Co-Teaching (ICT) in honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, I increased AP enrollment for students with disabilities from 1% to 14%. Moreover, the percentage of students earning Regents diplomas rose from 33% to 87%, with 38% achieving Advanced Regents diplomas. Currently, I support special education compliance and teaching for 47 high schools in New York City.